Bringing blue learning into Atlantic classrooms

Teaching future change agents

While water covers two thirds of our planet, the traditional school curriculum generally focuses on land-based content, explained Janice Williams, Learning and Community Engagement Lead at the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC). "The blue is the underdog of climate solutions, and when we bring blue learning into classrooms, it also opens a set of blue life and career pathways for students.”

BSC works with educators to integrate three thematic learning streams into the curriculum that are aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: Global Citizenship Education, Ocean-Climate Education, and Reconciliation and Education. These learning streams empower students to become agents of change within their communities, and to actively contribute to a sustainable future.

“Blue Schools are about people, the planet, how we understand our land-based connection, and how it impacts or sustains the ocean ecosystem. It is important to talk about our world in its 71% representation — water — and teach Earth as a holistic system.”

By collaborating with a wide-ranging expertise of ocean educators, the program offers turn-key solutions, and closes important gaps between available education resources, and what teachers are looking for at every grade level.

“Our goal is to help educators seamlessly integrate a greener curriculum and incorporate locally relevant ocean and freshwater themes, whether that starting point is a stream, a river, or an ocean,” explained Janice.

Removing financial barriers for educators

In 2023, COLC launched the Blue Schools Experiential Learning Grant, which offers funding to help remove costs associated with field studies, excursions, and hands-on blue learning activities.

Janice hopes that this opportunity can support educators who wish to incorporate more activities such as coastline or river clean-ups, water quality testing, guest speakers, or even aquarium visits.

“Experiential learning opportunities encourage a systems perspective, and through them, students understand that science is a social enterprise, build problem-solving skills, work through tensions on how to work together, and apply knowledge for the greater good,” she explained.

The grant application period – from November 2, 2023 to January 15, 2024 – has now ended, but it will open again next year.

Getting started with Blue Schools Canada

All schools across Canada – public and private, as well as alternative education programs (forest schools, homeschooling) – are eligible to become a Blue School, and individual teachers, classrooms, or even entire schools can join!

For the 2023/2024 school year, participating schools can benefit from three educational offers:

1. The Giant Floor Map (GFM) program enables schools to book a gym-sized floor map featuring Canada’s waterways called The Ocean, Freshwater and Us. The GFM comes with an augmented reality app to bring the map to life. Contact the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition to learn more about booking the map or a workshop tailored for your school’s needs.
   
   

2. The 'Live Learning Series' is a monthly (September - May) online event hosted by Exploring by the Seat of your Pants, spotlighting the expertise of a global community of early career ocean professionals (ECOP). Made possible in part through the Government of Canada's Oceans Management Contribution Program, this series provides a platform for emerging talents in the field to share their insights and experiences with learners in Canada and beyond.
   
   

3. The BSC Community of Practice (CoP) offers a supportive space in the format of Open House and Office Hours for participating educators. Here, BSC members and non-members share experiences and promising practices for incorporating marine and freshwater topics in their classroom practice. Visit the BSC project page for schedule updates.

Be sure to explore the Blue Schools Canada website for updated information on the program's offerings.

“It takes many seeds to plant a garden. We can’t change the landscape without those who are willing to change the scope. Water flows throughout the earth, it flows through us, and it connects to everything,” said Janice.